Watchcase



Oct. 11,1932. D. s. INGRAHAM WATCHCASE Filed April 28. 19150 PatentedOct. 11, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DUDLEY S. INGRAHAM, F BRISTOL,CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE E. INGRAHAM COMPANY, OF BRISTOL,CONNECTICUT, A. CORPORATION WATGHOASE Application filed April 28,

This invention relates to an improvement in watchcases and particularlyto the crystalretaining feature thereof.

The main object of this invention is to produce, at a low cost formanufacture, a watchcase in which the crystal may be securely held inplace.

A further object of this invention is to produce a watchcase in whichthe crystal may 112' be readily and conveniently installed and removed.

With the above and other objects in View as will appear from thefollowing, my invention consists in a watchcase having certain detailsof construction and combinations of parts as will be hereinafterdescribed and particularly recited in the claim.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a'face view of a watchcase embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is an edge view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a view thereof on an enlarged scale, partly in side elevationand partly in transverse section;

Fig. 4. is a detached underside view of the case-shell;

Fig. 5 is a view thereof partly in side elevation and partly intransverse section;

Fig. 6 is a top or plan view of the crystal- 3 retaining ring; and

Fig. 7 is a view thereof partly in side elevation and partly inlongitudinal section.

In the embodiment herein chosen for the illustration of my invention, Iemploy a cup- 35 shaped sheet-metal case-shell 10 of substantiallyrectangular form and having a similarly-shaped sight-opening 11 in itsfront face through which the dial and hands of the watch (not shown) maybe viewed in the usual manner of timepieces.

The case-shell above referred to consists of a vertical skirt 12, anupwardly-and-inwardly-beveled reach 13, an upstanding collar-likeportion 14 and an inturned crystal-retaining l5 flange 15.

Attached to the skirt-portion 12 of the caseshell at the opposite endsthereof respectively are strap-receiving loops 16 and 17. Inserted fromthe open bottom of the case-shell 10 into the interior of the collar 14and 1930. Serial No. 447,933.

against the crystal-retaining flange 15 is a bowed crystal 18.

For the purpose of retaining the crystal 18 in place within the collar14 and snugly against the crystal-retaining flange 15, I employ aretaining-ring 19 formed with a depending ski'rt 20 snugly fitting theinterior surface. of the skirt 12 of the case-shell so as tofrictionally grip the same. Extending inward and upward from the skirt20 of the retaining-ring 19 is an integral beveled reach 21 terminatingin an inwardly-turned crystalretaining flange 22 coextensive with theflange 15'of the case-shell and complementing the same to form acrystal-receiving recess.

In assembling the parts, the crystal is first entered through the openrear face of the case-shell l0 and moved forward therein until it ispositioned within the collar 14 and the edge of, its outer face seatedagainst the crystal-retaining flange 15. The crystal-retaining ring 19is nowalso entered from the open rear end of the case-shell until theupper face of its beveled reach seats against the underface of thebeveled reach 18 of the caseshell, at which time the crystal-retainingflange 22 will be in position to restrain the crystal 18 against inwarddisplacement, as clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing. With thecrystal-retaining ring thus installed not only is the crystal firmlysecured in place but the case-shell 10 is reinforced and stiffened to adegree sufficient to prevent distortion in normal use.

After the movement (not shown) has been installed in the case-shell, asheet-metal cupshaped case-back 23 is inserted into the rear end of thesaid case-shell and preferably has its upstanding flange 24. seatedagainst the under-edge of the crystal-retaining ring 19 so that when thewatch is strapped upon a users wrist, the crystal and crystal-retainingring are prevented from inward displacement, owing to the fact that thecase-back 23 is held in engagement with the wearers wrist.

By proportioning the crystal-retaining ring 19 so that it willfrictionally engage the interior of the case-shell 10, it will be seenthat the crystal may be installed within the said case-shell prior tothe introduction of the movement thereinto and will be held sufficientlyto prevent displacement while other necessary assembling operations arebeing carried on. Furthermore, by providing the complementarycrystal-retaining flanges 15 and 22, which are separable one from theother, I am; enabled to provide a deep groove for the reception of theedge of the crystal so that, notwithstanding the shinking and warping ofthe crystal, which is especially likely to occur when the same is madeof celluloid or other so-called unbreakable-. materials, the saidcrystal is effectively precluded'from escaping from-its seat and asubstantially dust-and-moisture-tightjoint issecured.

It will be understood by thoseskilled in the art that my invention mayassume varied physical forms without departing from my inventive conceptand I, therefore, do not limit myself to the specific embodiment hereinchosen for illustration, but only as indicated in the appended claim.

I claim:

As a new article of manufacture, a watchcase including a sheet-metalcase-shell open at its front and rear faces and formed at its. frontface with an upstanding collar, the interior surface of which forms acrystalseat, and which terminates in an inwardlyturned crystal-retainingflange, the said collar being smaller size than the size of thecase-shell from which it outwardly projects; a crystal installed in theupstanding collar of: the said case-shell, with its peripheral edgeseated against the inner surface thereof and-having that portion of itsouter surface adjacent said peripheral edge seated against theinwardly-turned crystal-retainingfiangeofthe said case-shell; andacrystal-retaining ring installed within thesaid case-shell and providedwith an inwardlyprojecting crystal-retaining flange positioned to engagethe inner surface of the said crystal adjacent the peripheral edgethereof and complementing the flange upon the said case-shell to form atwo-part" crystal-retaining groove, the major portion of which lieswithin the upwardly-offset collar of the said case-shell.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification.

DUDLEY S. INGRAHAM.

